Audio typewriter



Aug. 9} 1966 R. KOBLER' AUDIO TYPEWRITER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 3,1963 INVENTOR.

IR/CHARD KOBLER Aug. 9, 1966 R. KOBLER 3,264,757

AUDIO TYPEWRITER Filed 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGL 3 INVENTOR. RICHARDKOBL ER AGE/VT United States Patent 3,264,757 AUDIO TYPEWRITER RichardKobier, West Orange, NJ., assignor to McGraW- Edison Company, Elgin,11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 327,769 18Claims. (Cl. 35-5) This invention relates to an improved apparatus formaking statements to explain or pronounce the characters and controlfunctions designated on the keys of a typewriter as the respective keysare depressed. More particularly, the invention relates to a novelapparatus which can be coupled to a standard typewriter to pronounceeach character as the same is typed.

The present audio typewriter is useful especially in the education-a1field as a self-teaching aid for enabling children at an early age tolearn to recognize and pronounce the symbols on the keyboard of atypewriter as well as to learn dexterity in operating a typewriterkeyboard. The present audio typewriter may also be incorporated in amore elaborate teaching apparatus such as is disclosed in the pendingapplication of Richard Kobler and Omar K. Moore, Serial No. 185,616,filed April 6, 1962, wherein it is disclosed to exhibit successive ltemsof programmed material to a pupil and at the same time to encode theaudio typewriter to pronounce or explain the successive items and tofree the typewriter to enable the pupil to type the same.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel mechanism and system forindexing a phonographic apparatus to reproduce selected items ofprerecorded information as the respective keys of a keyboard aredepressed.

Another object is to provide a novel apparatus for indexing suchphonographic apparatus as between lower case and upper case characterson the keys of a typewriter.

A more specific object is to provide a fri'ctionally driven indexingdrum having peripherally projecting dogs engageable by respectivelatches for stopping the drum in respective angular positions as thekeys of a typewriter are depressed.

Another object is to drive a phonographic record medium through a springintegrating clutch and to disengage the clutch by the aforesaid indexingdrum as respective keys of a typewriter are depressed.

Other objects and features of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the appended claims.

In the description of my invention reference is bad to the accompanyingdrawings, of which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of mechanism and circuits illustratingmy invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fractional view of a typewriter keyboard mechanism and ofan associated indexing drum for selectively controlling a phonographapparatus; and

FIGURE 3 is a fractional view illustrating a modification in theindexing apparatus of the audio typewriter.

In the figures several illustrative keys a, 10b and ltlc of the keyboard of a typewriter are shown in which the key 10a is considered as acharacter key for typing lower and upper case characters, the key 1012is a lower case shift key and the key 10c is an upper case shift key.

. These keys are upstanding from respective key levers 11a,

11b and 110 pivoted on a cross rod 12. When a character key is depresseda respective type bar is actuated against a platen to type therespective character but such apparatus is standard and need not beherein shown. A standard ball-race 13 is provided to permit only one keyother than the upper case shift key to be depressed at a time becausesingle key activation is important to the invention. This ball-racecomprises a ball-race holder 14 in the form of a channel bar havingslots 15 through which extend the respective key levers. In the channelbar is a spherical ball or roller 16 for each key lever arranged in arow with an aggregate play or spacing between all of the rollers equalto the width of a single key lever.

When any key other than the upper case shift key is depressed therespective key lever is moved between the pair of corresponding rollersto take up the entire play in the ball-race so that no other keyassociated with the ball-race can be simultaneously depressed.

Further, it is a feature to latch each key as the same is depressed. Thelatch means for all of the keys other than the upper case shift keyincludes pawls 17a-17b for the respective key levers Ila-11b which arehe'reinafter referred to as latch pawls because they perform a latchingfunction in connection with the indexing operation abovedescribed. Also,for such indexing function a latch pawl is associated with the uppercase shift key lever 100. These latch pawls are pivoted on a commoncross rod 18. The key levers have depending fingers 19a19c for movementagainst the respective latch pawls as the key levers are depressed.Also, the latch pawls have upstanding hook-shaped fingers 20a-20c whichoverlie the respective key levers so that when a latch pawl is locked ina depressed position it will in turn hold the key lever depressed. Suchlocking of the respective latch pawls except the latch pawl 170 isaccomplished by a common bail 21 pivoted on a cross rod 22 and biased bya tension spring 23 against the end faces of the free end porpawl. Suchlocking engagement of an individual latch pawl is permitted by reason ofthe lower portions of the free end faces of the latch pawls being cutaway so that the unoperated latch pawls will not obstruct the movementof the bail into a latching position. When an unlocking solenoid25hereinafter referred to as a key release solenoidis next activated thebail 21 is withdrawn and the depressed key is released.

Extending crosswise of the machine below the series of latch pawls 17 isan indexing drum 26. This drum is journaled on a shaft 27 which is inturn journaled in frame members 28 and 29 at its left and right ends.The shaft is coupled at its left end through gears 30 to a drive motor31. Pinned to the shaft at the right end of the drum is a collar 32, andjournaled on the end portion of the shaft beyond the collar is a gear 33the hub 33a of which is, an even circumferential extension of thecollar. Surrounding the collar 32 and hub 33a in frictional engagementtherewith is a helical clutch spring 34. One end of this spring has atail 34a secured to the indexing drum 26 .and the other end has a tail34b secured to the gear 33. The direction of winding of the clutchspring is such that when the indexing drum is held stationary therotating drive collar 32 will by its frictional contact tend to unwindthe clutch spring and uncouple the same to allow the collar to continueto rotate. However, the instant the indexing drum is freed the clutchspring engages the collar by its inherent resilience and is tightenedthereon by the resisting work load of the gear 33 to couple the shaft 27tightly to the gear 33. Thus, the gear 33 stands still when the indexingdrum is held stationary, and the gear 33 is turned with the shaft 27when the indexing drum is free to rotate. When the indexing drum is in afree condition it is rotated releasably with the shaft 27 by thefrictional contact of the clutch spring with the drive collar 32.

By the present invention the indexing drum 26 is latched in respectiveangular positions as the respective keys of the typewriter [aredepressed. For this purpose the indexing drum 26 has as manyperipherally project- 7 key,

'recorddrum would take place. position of the head 40is spaced 200milliseconds in" travel time from the left end of the record drum to as-1 ing dogs 35 as there are typewriter keys. These dogs "are spaced alongthe drum in circumferential alignment withthe respective latch pawls 17and are offset from each other at-equal angular intervlals about thedrum. For instance, a typewriter with fifty keys would call for fiftydogs along the drum spaced at 7.2. intervalsabout the drum axis.Specific dogs :are designated :by the nnmeral 35 with the suffix letterof the corresponding key;

- Thus, when the key ais depressed into a latched position, the latchpawl 17a is heldin a position on'the indexing drum to stop thedrum whenthe corresponding dog '35a'strikes the respective latch pawl. Theinstant the indexing drum becomes so latched, the spring clutch 34*isuncoupled from the drive collar 32 intthe manner above-described;

The indexing drum 26Liscoupled toa record drum 36 throu-gh a 1:1 ratiogearing including a gear 37 on 10116 end of the record drum meshing withthe gear 33., .The

record drum has a shaft 38 journaled at its endsiin the frame plates 29an'd 39. The record drum is provided with 40 is mounted on a carriage 41for scanning the respective tracks. This head carriage is mounted on atubular support rod 42 supported in parallel relation to the record drumby the frame members 29, and 39. A feed screw 43 extends axially throughthe. support rod 42 and: is

journaled at its ends in the frame members 29 and 39. On the carriage 41is a feed nut (not shown) which "extends through a longitudinal slot 44in the .tubular support rod 42 to engage the feed screw. The feed screwis driven by the drive motor 31 through gearing :45 and a frictionclutch 46 to advance the head 40 from left to right along the recorddrum. As the feed screw is so driven it winds up a torsion spring47Jconnected between the feed screw anda case 48 mounted on the framemember 29. Upon disengaging the clutch 46 after thehead 40 has beenadvanced along the length of the record drum the torsion springrrotatesthe feed screw in areverse direction to return the head to its homeposition.

When the machine is to be placed in operation,;an on-olf master switch.49 is'closed to connect an AC; power-supply 50 to the drive motor 31andto a power rectifier 51'afor an audio amplifier 51. The amplifierhasnan input circuit connected to the head 40 and an ouput circnitconnected as to a speaker 52. The drive motor runs continuously androtates the indexing drum 26 and record say the key 10a is depressed, itlatches the pawl 17a drum36-typically at aspeed of 300 r.p.m. When;a

in a depressedhposition to stop ;the indexing druintthe instant therespective dog 35acomes into abutment thereagainst. At the same instantthe. indexing drum; is

stopped the record drum 36 is also stopped to place the trackcorresponding to the-lowercase symbol on the key 10a in scanningregistration with the gap of the record-f the key 10aiis depressedball-race 13 [from a fixed: I wall 53 at the right end thereof switch 54at the left end of theball-raloe. Closure of-the,

reproducefihead 40. Also, as the key lever 11a spreadsthe to close acommonkey common key switch 54 activates a solenoid 55 for the clutch 46from a plus terminal 56:through contacts 1-2;

of a key release relay 58 and the common key switch 54 to ground.Operation of the clutch solenoid 555131013618 a plunger 55a to engagethe clutch 46 and start anxadvance movement of the head 40. along therecorddrum. Since the index drum 26 could turn throughinearly a wholerevolution before it is stopped by a latch pawl, nearly 200 millisecondscould elapse when the index drum is turning at 300 r.p.m. before theindexing of the For this reason the home the key release solenoid andsure that the record drum isqin'dexed to thezposition wherein the trackcorresponding to the symbol being typedis in line with the head 40before the head begins its scan movement.

Whenthe: head v40 :has been advancedsalong the length of the record drum36the head carriage :moves against an vend switch 59 to close the same.Since .the' depressed, key is still latched when the' endiswitch 59 isclosed the common key switch is also then still closed. Closure of theend switcha-ctivates the key release solenoid 25 from a plus, terminal60through the, end switch 59 and the oommonkey switch 54 to ground.Operation-of the keyrelease solenoid 25 disengages thelocking bail21...,

to release the depressed key 10a so that it can snap back to anunoperated position; After the released key lever has moved outfo f theball-race, the common1key switch? 54 isv opened to dropoutthe'clutchsolenoid 55 It' is a desirable that the closure .of the endswitch 59-will not immediately'drop out the clutch solenoid=55 else thehead 1 carriage would immediately start backihome, the end through theend switch 59 and common key switch 54A Operation of: this loey;reelaserelay breaks its switch contacts 1-21to dropzout :the clutch? solenoid:55 and start the return ofzthe head carriage to home position, and itcloses its switch contacts 2-3 topshuntsthe. end switch 59 and maintainan activating circuit for the key release solenoid 25 through the commonkey switch? circuit for the key release 54 and to provide a holdingrelay 58 after the end switch 59 is opened; Thus, both key release relayare locked inwuntil thewdepressed key-has been moved out of theball-race to open the; common-key switch. Whentthe.

depressedv keyjs soreleased the .drive clutch 46 will therefore havealready been disengaged tonassure :that no-repeat operation of the drivemechanism for the head carriage will take place along the: same track.When the common keyswitch 54 is opened'responsive to releasing the keyboth the key solenoid are dropped to return the'machine to the oondition it had-before the key was depressed.

The operation so-far described is that of typing and pronouncing the:lower case characters or symbols on the keys of. the typewriter. Whenyitis desired to type and pronounce, an uppercase character Ethetypewriter. is

shifted first to an upper case condition by pressing the This keydiffers from .all othball-raoe13 nor isit latched upper case shiftkey10c. ers in'that it is not in the by the common baili211 Insteadjtheupper caseshift key has a mechanical coupling 62 (diagrammatically;indicated) to a rocken63 which is tilted as the key 'is de-. pressed tolift the type basket .64 -to.an upper casepocase shift? key having, been:so latch member 65; However, as

key 10c now also takes'place through. the, switch contacts 1-2 58,switch contacts 2-i3 vof an upper case :shift relayx67,

release relay and key release which is prerecorded An activation of theclutch i solenoid 55 responsive-to depressing theyupper "-case .shiftfrom the plus terminal 562 ofthekey release relay contacts 1-2 of a typebasket switch 68 and a lower case key switch 69 to ground 70. Theadvance movement of the head 40 is therefore started to cause the headto scan the uppercase track on the record drum 36 to pronounce uppercase.

When the head 40 has reached the end of its scan movement it againcloses the end switch 59 to activate both the key release solenoid 25(now without effect) and the key release relay 58 from their respectiveplus terminals 60 and 61 through the end switch 59, switch contacts 2-3of the upper case shift relay 67, contacts 1-2 of basket switch 68,lower case shift switch 69 and ground 70. Activation of the key releasesolenoid 25 is now without effect because the key c is outside thelatching ball 21. Operation of the key release relay 58 opens its switchcontacts 1-2 to drop out the clutch solenoid 55 [and start return of thehead 40, and it closes its contacts 2-3 to shunt the end switch 59 sothat the key release solenoid 25 and key release relay 58 will stayoperated during return of the head. When the head 40 reaches homeposition it closes a home switch 71 to activate an upper case shiftsolenoid 72 from a plus terminal 73 and the upper case shift relay 67from plus terminal 74, both by way of the home switch 71, contacts 3-4of the basket switch 68, diode 75, switch contacts 2-3 of the keyrelease relay 58, switch contacts 2-3 of the upper case shift relay 67,contacts 1-2 of basket switch 68 and lower case shift switch 69 toground 70. The activation of the upper case shift relay 67 opens itsswitch contacts 2-3 to drop out both the key release solenoid 25 and keyrelease relay 58, and it opens the initial energizing circuit for theupper case shift relay 67 and upper case shift solenoid 72 but withouteffect because this relay and solenoid are now held operated by acircuit running through "switch contacts 1-2 of the upper case shiftrelay 67, contacts 1-2 of basket switch 68, lower case shift switch 69and ground '70. Moreover, this hold circuit is maintained so long as thetypewriter is left in upper case condition. The hold circuit is nothowever carried through to the key release relay 58 because of the diode75.

The activation of the upper case shift solenoid 72 propels its armature72a in la leftward direction against the shaft 27 of the index drum 26to shift the drum a distance of one-half the width of the respectivedogs 35 except the dog 350 corresponding to the upper case shift key 100as to which the shift is equal to the full width of the dog. As shown inFIGURE 1, the latch pawls 17 are lined circumferentially of the drumwith the left half portions of the respective dogs 35 except the dog350. As to the dog 350 the latch pawl is in direct alignment therewithcircumferenti-ally of the drum throughout the width of the dog when theindexing drum 26 is in its right hand or lower case position defined bypressure of a spring 76 against the left end of the shaft. When theindex drum 26 is shifted leftwardly to its upper case position byactivation of the upper case shift solenoid 72, the latch pawls 17except the pawl 17c are aligned circumferentially with the right halfportions of the respective dogs to have the same functional relationshipin indexing the drum as before but the latch pawl 170 corresponding tothe upper case shift key is now totally out of alignment with therespective dog 35:: to permit the index drum to rotate notwithstandingthat the upper case shift key is still latched in its operated position.

Further, the leftward axial shifting of the index drum 26 produces arotational shift in the record drum 36 by half the distance between thesuccessive lower case tracks on the latter. This is accomplished bymaking the gears 33 and 37 of the helical type. Thus, a set of uppercase tracks is provided on the record drum sandwiched between thesuccessive lower case tracks. The odd numbered tracks on the record drummay be referred to as the lower case tracks and the even numbered as theupper case tracks. Although the index drum 26 is still indexed in thesame angular positions by the respective keys when the machine is inupper case condition, the record drum is indexed in alignment with therespective upper case or even-numbered tracks because of the shift whichhas taken place between the index [and record drums.

The operation of the machine responsive to pressing a key while themachine is in upper case condition is the same as before described whenthe machine was in lower case condition except that now the head 40 willscan a respective one of the upper case tracks. For example, uponpressing the key 10a when the machine is in upper case condition, theindex drum is stopped in the same position as before and the record drumis stopped in its corresponding upper case position. Further, the commonkey switch is closed to activate the clutch solenoid 55 via the contacts1-2 of the key release relay 58 to start the scan operation and causethe machine to pronounce the upper case symbol on the key 1001. When thehead reaches the end of its travel and closes the end switch 59 both thekey release solenoid 25 and key release relay 58 are operated via theend switch 59 and the common key switch 54. Operation of the key releaserelay 58 drops out the clutch solenoid 55 to start return of the head tohome position and simultaneously provides a short circuit around the endswitch 59 to retain the release solenoid 25 and release relay 58operated during the head return. The instant the key 10a is returned tounoperated position the common key switch 54 is opened to drop both thekey release solenoid 25 and key release relay 58. The machine istherefore returned to the condition it had before the key 10a wasdepressed.

In summarizing the upper case operation starting with the depressing ofthe upper case shift key 100, the typewriter is shifted into upper casecondition and the machine pronounces upper case while the reproducemechanism is still in lower case condition but at the end of thepronunciation the reproduce mechanism is shifted to upper case conditionand locked automatically therein, and further, so long as the machine islocked in upper case condition the following conditions are retained:(1) the type basket switch 68 is held closed, (2) the upper case shiftrelay 67 is held activated by its hold circuit, and (3) the upper caseshift solenoid is held activated by its hold circuit.

Since the contacts 2-3 of the upper case shift relay 67 are now open andthe diode prevents locking ground for-the upper case shift relay fromreaching the key release relay 58, the only ground connection that cannow be completed to start an operational cycle is the one through thecommon key switch 54. Once this common key switch is closed bydepressing a key associated with the ball-race 13 the subsequent closureof the end switch 59 produces the same results as are described aboveunder the lower case operation. The only mechanical difference is thatthe index drum 26 remains shifted to the left so that the record drum 36will be indexed to the respective upper case tracks and so that the dog350 of the upper case shift key will be out of alignment with therespect to the latch pawl 170.

Should the upper case shift key 10c be depressed and then another keydepressed before the pronunciation of upper case is completed, only thefirst operational cycle pronouncing upper case will take place. Forexample, upon having pressed the upper case shift key 10c into a latchedposition, the basket switch contacts 1-2 and 3-4 will be closed, theindex drum will be in its lower case position latched by the pawl of theupper case shift key and the head 40 will be scanning the lower casetrack prerecorded with the pronunciation of upper case. Also, the keynext pressed will be held latched by the bail 21 and the common keyswitch 54 will be closed. As the head closes the end switch 59 afterpronouncing upper case, the key release solenoid 25 and key releaserelay 58 will the activated through the end switch 59 and cause thedepressed subsequent key to be unlatched .to open the common key switch.

When the lower case shift key 10b is pressed the rocker 63 in unlatchedby a coupling 77 to a plunger 78 'operating against the latch '65causing the basket 64 to return to lower case position, the lower caseswitch 69 to be opened and the common key switch 54 to be closed.However, in order that the upper case .shift relay 67 and the upper caseshift solenoid 72 will be dropped responsive to pressing the lower caseshift key, the switches 69 and 64- drum 26 and resultant indexing of therecord drum36 I together with the engagement of the drive clutch 46causes the machine to pronounce lower case from the respective lowercase track in the normal way.

If the user presses the upper case shift key 10c while the machine ispronouncing lower case nothing happensbecause the upper case shift keywill not latch until the lower :case shift key 1011 is unlatched, andthe home switch 71 is now open to prevent the pressing of the upper caseshift key from operating the upper case shift relay 67 and the uppercase shift solenoid 72.

If the machine has completed pronouncing lower case and the end switchis operated to activate the key release solenoid and the key releaserelay 58 over the end switch 59 and the common key switch 54, *theactivation of the key release relay 58 breaks the contacts 1-2 to dropthe clutch solenoid 55 to start snap back of the head to home positionand the activation of the key release solenoid unlatches the lower caseshiftkey 10b. If

the operator presses the upper case shift key during the snap back ofthe head to home position the upper case shift key is latched as soon asthe lower case shift key is unlatched and the key release solenoid 25and key release relay 58 will remain activated until the head reacheshome position over contacts 2-3 of upper case shift relay 67', contacts1-2 of the basket switch 68 and the lower case shift switch 69. When thehead reaches home position to close the home switch 71, the upper caseshift relay 67 and upper case shift solenoid 72 are operated, over thehome switch 71, contacts 3-4 of the basket switch 68, diode 75, contacts2-3 of the key release relay 58, contacts 2-3 of the upper case shiftrelay 67, contacts 1-2 of the basket switch 68 and the lower case shiftswitch 69. Operation of the upper case shift relay 67 provides it andthe upper case shift solenoid 72 with a hold circuit over contacts 1-2of the upper case shift relay 67, contacts 1-2 of the basket switch 68and the lower case shift switch 69, and it drops the key release relay58 and key release solenoid 25 by opening contacts 2-3 of the upper caseshift relay 67.- The machine is therefore now in upper case conditionfor normal upper case operation.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 3, the gear 33 is secured rigidly tothe indexing drum .26 by the sleeve or hub 33b, and a friction slipclutch C is interposed between the shaft 27 and the end face of the gear33. This clutch comprises a friction disk .79 splined at 80 to the shaft27' and pressed against the end face of the gear 33 by compressionspring 81 backed by a retainer ring 82in the shaft. The clutch Cfrictionally drives the indexing drum 26 and record drum 36 but slipscontinuously whenever the indexing drum is latched. 4

The embodiment of my invention herein particularly shown and describedis intended to be illustrative and not necessarily limitative of myinvention since the same is subject to changes and modifications withoutdeparture from the scope of my invention, while I endeavor to expressaccording to the following claims.

to latch saidindexing member in predetermined angular positions asrespective keys of .said keyboard are depressed, a motor driven shaft, ahelical spring clutch fr-ic tionally engaging said shaft andconnected atone end to said indexing member for releasably driving said ina dexingmember, :a cylindrical record carrier. journaled for rotationalmovement,and .meanscoupling the other end of said spring clutchvto said recordcarrier. for retaining said record carrier in a fixed rotationalrelationship to 1.

said indexing member, said spring clutch being wound in a direction.onrsaidmotor shaft to cause the spring clutch to be uncoupled fromsaidmotor shaft when a key is depressed to latch saidindexing member. I

2. The combination set forth in cla-iml including a record mediummounted on said record carrier, a.repro-. ducer head ,mounted formovement; in a fixed line. of travel along said record medium, headdriving means activated by depressing a key of said keyboard for movingsaid head while said record carrier is at standstill'to cause said headto scan a track on;the record medium corresponding to the depressed key,said tracks bearing prerecorded statements relating to the symbols onthe respective keys of said keyboard.

3. The combination. set forth in: claim 2 including means for latchingeach key of saidkeyboard when a key is depressed, and means responsiveto .said reproducer head .being moved .to an end position of thecorresponding track for'releasin-g said key latching means.

4. The combination; set forth in claim 3 including means responsive ,tosaid reproducer head reaching said endposition for uncoupling saidheadfrom its drive means including a one-way spring clutch forfrictionally coupling saidindexing drum to said motor while allowing thedrum to be latched in any position, a series of latch pawls operablerespectively by said keys as the keys are depressed for engaging saidrespective dogs to stop said indexing .drumin: different angularpositions, means to.

latcha ,key of said keyboard when the same is depressed, and timingmeans responsive to each latching of a key of said keyboard forreleasing the latch key after a prede-.

termined time interval.

6: In' combination, a typewriter keyboard including a set of depressiblekeys with characters designated thereon,

an indexing drum having a series of peripherally pro- 7 jecting dogsspaced along and around the drum, a motor, means including a one-wayspring clutch'for frictionally coupling said indexing drum to said motorwhile allowing the drum to be latched in any position, a series of latchpawls operable respectively by: said keys as the keys. are

depressed for engaging said respective dogs to stop said indexing drumin different angular positions, a rotatable record carrier coupled tosaid indexing drum, a record medium mounted on said record carrierhaving a separate track for each key ofsaid keyboard prerecorded with apronunciation or statement relating to the character on the respectivekey, a reproducer: head mounted for movement across said recordmedium toscan said tracks respectively while the .recordcarrier is at standstill,and means for. driving said reproducer head responsive to each keydepression for causingthe head to scan a respective track of said recordmedium. to make. a pronunciation or statement relating to the characteron the depressed key.

'7. The combination set forth in claim 6, including a feed screw fordriving said head across said record medium, a friction clutch forcoupling said drive means to said feed screw, means responsive to saidhead reaching the end of its forward travel for disengaging said clutch,and a torsion spring coupled to said feed screw for retuming said headto its start position when said clutch is disengaged.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6 including a ball-race andmembers operable by said keys between the respective pairs of the ballsof said ball-race to permit only one key to be depressed at a time, anda common key switch operable by the sidewise shifting of the end ball ofsaid ball-race when a key is depressed for starting the drive means forsaid reproducer.

9. In combination, a typewriter keyboard including a set of characterkeys with lower and upper case characters thereon and including lowercase and upper case shift keys with means to latch the upper case shiftkey in operated position when the same is depressed, a frictionallydriven indexing drum having peripheral dogs spaced along and around thedrum, latch pawls operable by said keys respectively for engaging saidrespective dogs and latching said indexing drum in different angularpositions as different keys are depressed, a rotatable record carriercoupled to said indexing drum to assume a different position for eachkey depressed, said record carrier having a track for each lower andupper case character on said keys and for said lower and upper caseshift keys prerecorded with pronunciation or statements relating to therespective characters or functions, a reproducer head, means for movingsaid head in scanning relation to the respective tracks when a key isdepressed to reproduce the corresponding statement or pronunciation, andmeans responsive to press said upper case shift key into a latchedposition for starting said head moving means to scan the correspondingtrack on the record medium and for thereupon unlatching said indexingdrum from said upper case shift key while leaving the upper case shiftkey in a dcpressed latched position.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9, including a ball-race andmembers operable by said character keys and said lower case shift keybut not by said upper case shift key for movement between respectivepairs of the balls of said ball-race when a key other than said uppercase shift key is depressed to enable only one of said keys exclusive ofsaid upper case shift key to be depressed at a time, and a common keyswitch operable by said ballrace when a character or lower case shiftkey is depressed for starting said head moving means.

11. The combination set forth in claim 9, including a common means forlatching said respective keys other than said upper case shift key, thesuccessive different angular positions in which said record carrier isindexed by said indexing drum being by an angular interval placingsuccessive alternate tracks in registration with said head, and meansresponsive to pressing said upper case shift key into latched positionfor shifting said record carrier relative to said indexing drum byone-half said angular interval whereby the intermediate alternate trackson said record carrier are registered selectively with said head whenthe respective character keys are depressed while the upper case shiftkey is latched.

12. The combination set forth in claim 9 including means responsive tosaid head reaching the end of the .track corresponding to said uppercase shift key for returning the head to start position and for shiftingand holding said indexing drum in a longitudinally displaced position todisengage the dog on said indexing drum from the respective latchcorresponding to said upper case shift key, all other dogs of saidindexing drum being of a width greater than that of the dogcorresponding to said upper case shift key to maintain registration ofsaid other dogs with the respective latch pawls while the indexing drumis maintained in its longitudinally shifted position.

13. The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein alternate tracks onsaid record medium are prerecorded with the lower case characters andwith lower and upper case shift functions, and the intermediatealternate tracks on said record medium are prerecorded with the uppercase characters on said respective keys, including means operable assaid indexing drum is shifted into said longitudinally displacedposition for rotatably shifting said record carrier relative to saidindexing drum by the peripheral distance between two successive trackswhereby upon pressing any one of said character keys while the uppercase shift key is latched in a depressed position the record carrier isindexed to bring a corresponding one of said intermediate alternateprerecorded tracks into registration with said reproducer head.

14. In combination, a typewriter keyboard including a set of depressiblekeys, at rotatably mounted indexing member having projecting dogs spacedalong and around the indexing member, a series of latch pawlsrespectively operable by said keys for engaging said respective dogs tolatch said indexing member in predetermined angular positions asrespective keys of said keyboard are depressed, a motor driven shaft, afriction slip clutch between said motor driven shaft and said indexingmember for releasahly driving the indexing member, and a movably mountedrecord carrier having a fixed drive coupling with said indexing memberto cause the record carrier to be. moved when said indexing member isrotated, said friction slip clutch being adapted to slip during rotationof said motor driven shaft when said indexing member is latched.

15. In combination, a typewriter keyboard including a set of depressiblekeys having characters designated thereon, means for latching a key ofsaid keyboard when a key is depressed, a common key switch operable byeach depression of a key of said keyboard, a record carrier and a recordmedium thereon having a separate track for each key of said keyboardprerecorded with the pronunciation of the respective character, areproducer head mounted for movement across said record medium to scansaid respective tracks, means responsive to each key depression forindexing said record carrier to bring the track corresponding to thecharacter on the depressed key into registration with said reproducerhead, drive means including a clutch solenoid activated by said commonkey switch for starting an advance movement of said reproducer head whena key is depressed, means for returning said head to home position whensaid clutch solenoid is dropped, an end switch operable by saidreproducer head when the head reaches an end of a track, a relayoperable by said end switch via said common key switch for droppmg saidclutch solenoid and for unlatching said key latching means, and a holdcircuit for said relay activated via said common key switch when therelay is operated for maintaining the relay in operated condition untilsaid common key switch is restored to unoperated position.

16. In combination, a typewriter keyboard including a set of depressiblekeys with characters designated thereon and an upper case shift key,common latching means for latching each character key when the same isdepressed, separate latching means for said upper case shift key,phonographic means including a record medium having a track for each ofthe characters on said keys and for said upper case shift key, meansresponsive to depressing each key for indexing said phonographic meansfor reproducing the track corresponding to the depressed key, a commonkey switch operable by depressing a character key for starting saidphonographic means, a basket switch operable by depressing said uppercase shift key into a latched operated position for shunting said commonkey switch to start said phonographic means, and means responsive tosaid phonographic means being restored to home position afterreproducing the track corresponding to said upper case shift key forremoving the shunt connection of said basket switch from said common keyl 1 switch so long assaid upper case shift key is in a latched operatedposition.

17. The combination set forth in claim 16, including a second basketswitch operable by depressing said upper case shift key into a latchedoperated position and means operable via said second basket switch whensaidphonographic means has returned to home position after reproducingtheitrack corresponding to said upper case shift key for shifting theindexing relationship between said character keys and said phonographicmeans to cause the tracks on said record medium upon the respectivecharacter keys being depressed while said upper case shift key is inlatched operated position.

18. The combination set forth in claim 17, including '10 phonographicmeans to reproduce respective upper case,

12' a lower case shift key operable to unlatch said upper case shift keyandreturn said 'basketswitches to'unoperated position-and said indexingapparatus to lower case condif shift key is depressed.

References Cited by the; Examiner- UNITED :STATES PATENTS g 4/1881 1McKittrick 197'18 3/1941 Pirnatettal. 197-107 EUGENE Rf CAPOZIO, PrimaryExaminer.

RICHARD KLEIN, Assistant Examiner.

14. IN COMBINATION, A TYEWRITER KEYBOARD INCLUDING A SET OF DEPRESSIBLEKEYS, A ROTATABLY MOUNTED INDEXING MEMBER HAVING PROJECTING DOGS SPACEDALONG AND AROUND THE INDEXING MEMBER, A SERIES OF LATCH PAWLSRESPECTIVELY OPERABLY BY SAID KEYS FOR ENGAGING SAID RESPECTIVE DOGS TOLATCH SAID INDEXING MEMBER IN PREDETERMINED ANGULAR POSITIONS ASRESPECTIVE KEYS OF SAID KEYBOARD ARE DEPRESSED, A MOTOR DRIVEN SHAFT, AFRICTION SLIP CLUTCH BETWEEN SAID MOTOR DRIVEN SHAFT AND SAID INDEXINGMEMBER FOR RELEASABLY DRIVING THE INDEXING MEMBER, AND A MOVABLY MOUNTEDRECORD CARRIER HAVING A FIXED DRIVE COUPLING WITH SAID INDEXING MEMBERTO CAUSE THE RECORD CARRIER TO BE MOVED WHEN SAID INDEXING MEMBER ISROTATED, SAID FRICTION SLIP CLUTCH BEING ADAPTED TO SLIP DURING ROTATIONOF SAID MOTOR DRIVEN SHAFT WHEN SAID INDEXING MEMBER IS LATCHED.